CVE-2026-23996: FastAPI Api Key has a timing side-channel in verify_key that allows statistical key validity detection

Severity: low (CVSS 3.7 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-01-21 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-208

Description

FastAPI Api Key provides a backend-agnostic library that provides an API key system. Version 1.1.0 has a timing side-channel vulnerability in verify_key(). The method applied a random delay only on verification failures, allowing an attacker to statistically distinguish valid from invalid API keys by measuring response latencies. With enough repeated requests, an adversary could infer whether a key_id corresponds to a valid key, potentially accelerating brute-force or enumeration attacks. All users relying on verify_key() for API key authentication prior to the fix are affected. Users should upgrade to version 1.1.0 to receive a patch. The patch applies a uniform random delay (min_delay to max_delay) to all responses regardless of outcome, eliminating the timing correlation. Some workarounds are available. Add an application-level fixed delay or random jitter to all authentication responses (success and failure) before the fix is applied and/or use rate limiting to reduce the feasibility of statistical timing attacks.

Affected products

Athroniaeth fastapi-api-key: before 1.1.0 — fixed in 1.1.0

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Athroniaeth fastapi-api-key 1.1.0. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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